Do you have to pay taxes on a life insurance pay out?

Answer 1

One of the still remaining, best aspects of Life insurance, (the investment aspect of which has been generally agreed to be poor at best) is that the insurance industry has gotten congress to retain that payouts of life insurance to a beneficiary are NOT TAXABLE. That is also why one should always have their insurance policy payable to a specific beneficiary...it passes very quickly, directly to them, out side of the estate and being outside the estate, is exempt from income estate/inheritance and transfer taxes. (If you make yourself or your estate the beneficiary, you would lose the last advantage,as it would become part of the estate). citations: Amounts received under a “life insurance contract” , that are paid by reason of the insured's death aren't included in the gross income of the recipient (i.e., beneficiary) ( Code Sec. 101(a) ) (unless the policy was transferred for value). The exclusion applies to lump sum payments made at the time of the insured's death, and to amounts paid later to the extent the payment doesn't exceed the amount payable at death. ( Reg § 1.101-1(a)(1)